Glute Kickback

Also called cable kickback and glute kickback.

Works

Glutes, plus hamstrings

Equipment

Bodyweight

Level

Beginner

Type

Compound

How to do it

Setup. Kneel on the floor or an exercise mat and bend at the waist with your arms extended in front of you (perpendicular to the torso) in order to get into a kneeling push-up position but with the arms spaced at shoulder width. Your head should be looking forward and the bend of the knees should create a 90-degree angle between the hamstrings and the calves. This will be your starting position.

1. As you exhale, lift up your right leg until the hamstrings are in line with the back while maintaining the 90-degree angle bend. Contract the glutes throughout this movement and hold the contraction at the top for a second. Tip: At the end of the movement the upper leg should be parallel to the floor while the calf should be perpendicular to it.
2. Go back to the initial position as you inhale and now repeat with the left leg.
3. Continue to alternate legs until all of the recommended repetitions have been performed.

Cues

• Hinge a little, hold the frame.
• Kick back and up, squeeze the glute.
• Don't arch the back to go higher.

Common mistakes

• Arching the low back.
• Swinging.

Where to start

A starting point, not a law. Pick a weight you could lift two or three more times than the top of the range. Tempo is seconds down, pause, up. When every set hits the top of the range, add a little weight.